At Least 21 Killed as Explosives-Laden Vehicle Rams Mosque in Pakistan

At least 21 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a vehicle loaded with explosives rammed into a mosque inside a police compound in Kohat, in Pakistan’s north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said.

The deadly attack took place at around 13:15 local time during Friday prayers, when the mosque was filled with worshippers. According to police, the explosives-laden vehicle crashed into the entrance of the mosque before a powerful blast struck the compound.

Fifteen police officers and a four-year-old child were among those killed, Pakistan’s APP news agency reported. Scores of people were injured, with emergency teams responding to the scene and transporting casualties for treatment.

The attack did not end with the explosion. Gunmen also opened fire on the police facility, leading to a gun battle with security forces. At least six attackers were killed during the explosion and the subsequent fighting, according to a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police spokesperson.

Images and video verified by BBC Verify showed extensive damage at the site, with rubble covering the area and people helping those wounded in the attack.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police said a faction of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, was suspected of carrying out the assault. No further details about the attackers or the specific faction involved were immediately provided in the information available.

In a statement posted on X, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police said its forces remained determined to prevent further attacks. Officials used the term “Fitna-al-Khawarij” when referring to the Pakistani Taliban, a designation used by Pakistani authorities.

The TTP was established in 2007 and has sought to impose its interpretation of Islamic law in Pakistan. The group is separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban government, although it has longstanding ties with the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda.

The attack comes as security concerns remain a major challenge in Pakistan’s north-west, particularly in areas close to the country’s border with Afghanistan. Police facilities and security personnel have repeatedly been targeted by militant groups operating in the region.

The scale of Friday’s attack, with a suicide vehicle bombing followed by an armed assault on a police compound, has left Kohat facing one of its deadliest recent incidents. The presence of children and police officers among the victims has added to the shock surrounding the attack.

Authorities are continuing to assess the damage and investigate the circumstances surrounding the assault. The number of casualties could change as rescue and medical operations continue.

The deadly bombing has once again placed the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under intense scrutiny, as Pakistani authorities confront continued militant violence and attacks against security forces and civilians.